Multi-gas cooker, with a rotary valve provided with interchangeable regulating means

ABSTRACT

The cooking appliance ( 1 ) having a control panel ( 2 ) is equipped with one or more gas flow (Q) regulating valves, wherein the rotary regulating plug ( 6 ) is provided with various peripheral through holes ( 16 - 19 ). The control knob ( 9 ) being interchangeable for fitting to the actuating shaft ( 7 ), is chosen from the two units available, one and the other permitting different angular limit positions of the regulating plug ( 6 ) for the supply of a constant minimum gas flow Qmin, adjusted each one for a different type of gas N gas or LP gas. The outlet conduit ( 5 ) of the valve is equipped with a further injector nozzle ( 21,23 ) for adjusting a constant gas flow Qmax to be fed into the conduit ( 25 ) of the correspondent burner, when the cooking appliance is supplied with a LP gas.

This application is a continuation of U. S. ser. No. 11/143,785, filedJun. 1, 2005, claiming priority of Spanish patent ES-U200500309, datedFeb. 10, 2005.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a gas valve of the conical rotary plugtype attached to an actuating shaft, being the gas valve mounted on thepanel of a cooking appliance and its outlet conduit faced to a burnerinlet, wherein the rotary plug is provided with a control knob, andaperture means for adjusting the flow rate according to the fuel gasfamily supplied to the cooking appliance, and the outlet conduit with aninjection means.

PRIOR ART

Gas valves of the above-defined type are already known, wherein he gasvalve is mounted on the front control panel with the actuating shaftpassing through a external control panel in the appliance, and the valvebody resting inside the appliance faced to the fuel inlet of a burner.The external free end of the actuating shaft is fitted with a rotarycontrol knob inserted in the latter. The control knob is removable fromthe shaft by pulling it out. The hollow body of the valve has its owngas outlet conduit which is connected to the respective applianceburner. The outlet conduit is provided with an injector nozzle having acalibrated discharge orifice in correspondence with the gas familysupplied to the appliance, LP gas or N gas. In the spacing apart betweenthe discharge nozzle of the valve and the burner inlet, is taken theprimary air to feed the fuel mixture into the burner.

An example of rotary valve of the above type is disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 6,520,481-B2, having its actuating shaft coupled to a frusto-conicalregulating plug or valve plug, which is able to rotate a given angle forthe supply of a gas flow from two angular positions spaced around 120°apart, corresponding respectively to a high or maximum flow “Qmax” andto a low or minimum flow “Qmin”, the latter applied to “gentle boiling”.The rotation of the shaft as far as one of the angular positions, isstarted from an initial valve closed “OFF” position.

In this type of known valves the actuating shaft has a pin protruding ina radial direction to limit its angular travel, guided on a circularsurface in the inner face of the body cover or valve cap, or in someother part of the valve body. The total travel of the regulating plugthus limited is, for instance, 270 degrees from the OFF position. Theend position corresponds to Qmin. Any of the flows Qmax, Qint(intermediate flow) and Qmin is regulated by way of a corresponding holeor groove in the regulating plug facing the outlet conduit. All the flowrate are supplied from a common inlet conduit through an inner chamberin the regulating plug which is in communication with an outlet conduit.The Qmin outlet hole or groove shaped opening has an area of calibratedsection for a standard type of given fuel gas, adjusted according to theoutput power of the cooking appliance burner.

Solutions are already known for a single valve to be mounted on cookingappliances that use two different types of gas, such as natural gas (NG)or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). For example in U.S. Pat. No.5,009,393, an additional valve element in the form of a sleeve isinserted in the inner chamber of the valve regulating plug. The area ofthe opening section for the passage of gas flow towards the outlet, thatwhich corresponds to low flow or minimum flow Qmin, is adjusted byrotating this added valve sleeve which thus modifies the uncoveredsection area of the outlet opening. This known solution has thedisadvantage that for adjusting the Qmin for the rotation of the valvesleeve, it is necessary to use a screwdriver, which has to be insertedfrom an opening in the actuating shaft until it reaches the valve sleeveand to transmit a precise turn. A known regulating gas valve, forexample the disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,891-A, comprises a rotaryvalve plug coupled to a passage disc provided aperture means forregulating the gas flow supplied to the burner, and an injector nozzlethreaded to the outlet conduit. The passage disc is held stationary inthe valve housing, and provides an arc groove restricting the passagearea for the flow, for use with both LP gas and N gas, while theinjection orifice of the nozzle is limiting the large changes of gasflow.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is a gas domestic cooking appliance,provided with at least a rotary valve of the type with a frusto-conicalregulating plug coupled to an actuating shaft and to a control knob,being capable of supplying the different required flows of gas lying ata plurality of angular positions, of either of the two different typesof gas, N gas or LP gas, the valve having a control knob beinginterchangeable on the actuating shaft, with a means for limiting theangle of rotation of the regulating plug, and a mountable injectornozzle in the valve outlet conduit, which can be or not provided, inorder the valve to be adapted to the type of gas used by the appliance.

The use of a single valve unit for regulating the flow of two differentgas families is an advantage of the gas valve invention, when mounted ona cooking appliance. During the start-up of the cooking appliance theuser only has to carry out a choice for a control knob from the twopossible units accompanying the valve in accordance with the type offuel gas NG or LP appropriate for the cooking appliance. In this way,there is no need to use tools for adjusting the flow, nor to learn howto adjust the regulating plug as is required in the prior art valve.

The gas valve according to the invention is capable of providing twoangular positions of the regulating plug, both spaced apart from eachother to supply a different minimum flow Qmin according to the type ofgas, NG or standard LPG, used as the fuel for the appliance, being thetwo different angular positions established by means of a respectiverotation stop. At the same time, the user chooses for providing or notthe outlet conduit of the valve with an injector nozzle to supply amaximum flow, Qmax, of LP gas or N gas respectively. Neither it isnecessary to use tools for carrying out this mounting operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a gas valve according to the invention,fitted on a panel of a cooking appliance.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In reference to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a gas cooking appliance 1 suchas a barbecue comprises a control panel 2 on which are mounted one ormore rotary gas valves 3 of the type with a frustro-conical regulatingplug 6. The cooking appliance 1 may be of two types in respect of thetype of gas supplied, natural gas (NG) or liquefied gas (LPG) from theexternal source —GAS IN— through a valve inlet conduit 4 in the valvebody 3 a. Each one of the valves 3 mounted on the panel 2 is always of asingle type, all with a same valve body 3 a and regulating plug 6. Theinlet flow “Q” is transmitted to an internal chamber 8 in regulatingplug 6 in communication with an outlet conduit 5 in the valve body 3 a.The regulating plug 6 rotates around a central axis 10 actuated by shaft7 for the supply of the flow “Q”, which is directed towards a burnerinlet duct 25 on the appliance, being the latter specifically adapted toeither N gas or LP gas supplying.

The valve body 3 a has an elongated shape with a frusto-conical centralhousing cavity 15, wherein the regulating plug 6 is pushed by a spring11 for a tight sealing. The free end of the actuating shaft 7 isinstalled passing through a hole 2 a in the appliance panel 2, andafterwards the user fits it with a control knob 9, which is chosen fromthe two different units of control knob 9, both supplied to the userwith each valve unit 3. A cover or valve cap 12 protecting the housingcavity 15, has a tubular bushing 12 b for guiding the actuating shaft 7in rotation.

The regulating plug 6 may rotate with the shaft 7 an angle “A” in eitherof the two directions from an initial angular position “zero” degreescorresponding to the valve closed condition “OFF”, to an angularposition “A” between 90° and 270°. The OFF position is the initial endof the rotational travel “A”, and it is established for example by aradial pin 13 on the shaft. The cover 12 presents a sliding surface forthe radial pin 13, up to a recess 12 a in the cover acting as a stop forthe rotation of the radial pin 13.

In reference to the valve embodiment represented in FIG. 1, from theangular position OFF rotating in a clockwise direction, thefrusto-conical plug 6 may regulate the supply of different gas flows, amaximum flow “Qmax”, a minimum “Qmin” and an intermediate flow “Qint”between the Qmax and the Qmin, in function of the rotated angle “A”. Aconstant minimum flow “Qmin” of the N gas must be higher than a “Qmin”of the LP gas, when supplied to a respective burner in both cases of thesame power. In function of whether N or LP gas is supplied to thecooking appliance, the control knob 9 to be fitted on the actuatingshaft 7 is distinguished for example by means of a lug 14 integral withthe control knob. The control knob 9 represented on the appliance inFIG. 1 is adapted for the supply of N gas, having a protuberance or lug14 projecting from a knob base 9 a facing the panel 2. The second typeof control knob 9 having not the protuberance 14, is chosen for itsmounting on a cooking appliance that uses LP gas.

The regulating plug 6 rotates to a determined angular position for thesupply of a maximum flow “Qmax” of either NG or LPG on both types ofcooking appliance 1. The Qmax inflow is regulated by a through hole 16in the regulating plug, facing the inlet conduit 4. If the regulatingplug 6 is rotated further, an intermediate flow “Qint” will be suppliedthrough a groove which has a decreasing area. In accordance with theangle rotated, a through hole 18 or a through hole 19 for a “Qmin” flowis facing the inlet conduit 4 at an ensuing angular position differentfrom one another depending on the gas supplied to the valve, N gas or LPgas respectively. Diameter of each one of holes 18 and 19 are calibratedfor the correspondent supply of a Qmin.

When installed on the panel 2, the control knob unit 9 chosen for thesupply of LPG, this has no lug 14 or any other element for limiting theangle “A” of rotation. Thus, the regulating plug 6 may rotate as far asan angular position of 270 degrees. The cover 12, provided with thetubular portion 12 b for guiding the valve shaft 7, and said recess 12 afor limiting said longer angular travel corresponding to the LP gasQmin, is made economically by die-stamping operations only. Theeconomical cost of moulding two types of control knob 9, with andwithout integral lug 14 for guiding its rotation, is also low.

Besides that described above, other embodiments of the regulatingpassage openings 18,19 for the different values of Qmin are possible.Half of the control knob 9 units of the kind applied to the NGappliance, may be manufactured with some integrated guiding means 14 onthe control knob 9, and interact with some part of the cooking appliance1 associated with the panel 2, for example a running slot 20 in a panelwall, in order a limit position to be arranged of rotation travel otherthan that imposed by the actuating shaft.

The arrangement of the two different stop means 12 a and 20,respectively in the valve body 3 a and on the control panel 2, each onewith a pre-set circular extension, matches up with the two angulartravels “A” corresponding to that of the two hole passages 18 and 19 forsupplying a constant NG Qmin or a constant LPG Qmin. In this way, asingle valve unit 3 is used, without having to make any adjustment,valid for any type of gas supplied to the cooking appliance 1.

The burner of the cooker appliance (not represented in the drawing),supplied by the valve unit 3, is placed with its feed conduit 25 facingthe valve outlet conduit 5. The space of air apart from the burnerconduit 25 permits the fuel mixture 26 of primary air with the Qmax flowof outgoing gas from the valve 3 for injection into the burner feedconduit 25.

In accordance with the type of gas, N gas or LP gas, in order to providethe valve 3 with means for adjustment and injection of the Qmax gas flowoutgoing from the regulating plug 6, the valve outlet conduit 5 has apress-in or threaded disc 21 inserted for the restriction of the Qmaxflow through a calibrated central hole 22, which permits the passage ofa given Qmax flow of N gas, substantially higher than the Qmax of LP gaswhich it is necessary to inject into the burner of the same output. Therestrictor disc 21 remains fitted on the valve all the time irrespectiveof the type of gas used. When the cooker appliance 1 is supplied with LPgas, it is necessary to restrict the outgoing Qmax flow so as to adaptthe output of the burner, so the valve outlet conduit 5 is also fittedwith an injection nozzle 23, threaded manually into the mouth of theconduit 5, and it has a calibrated hole 24 for a given Qmax flow of LPgas, substantially smaller than the hole in the restrictor disc, thelatter secured in a manner valid for the passage of a Qmax both of N gasand of LP gas.

Thus, by means of the interchangeable control knob 9 and theinstallation or otherwise of the injection nozzle 23, all the cookerappliances, whether they be N gas or LP gas, are fitted with the samevalve units 3 without the need to make any flow regulating adjustment.Together with the valve unit 3, the user receives a kit containing twodifferent control knob units 9, easily distinguishable from each other,and an injection nozzle 23. In accordance with the type of gas used, theuser chooses one of the controls 9 for manual installation on theactuating shaft 7, and also decides whether or not to install theinjection nozzle 23, which is also fitted manually for the injection ofLP gas without the need for tools.

1. A valve capable of regulating the flow rate of a gaseous fuel ofeither a first type of gas or a second type of gas to a burner in anappliance comprising: a valve body having a rotatable regulating organpositioned between a valve inlet and a valve outlet, the regulatingorgan configured to vary the flow rate of the gaseous fuel at the valveoutlet as a function of an angular position of the regulating organ, thevalve outlet having a first restriction calibrated for a given firstmaximum flow rate of the first type of gas, the valve outlet configuredto receive a second restriction successive to the first restriction thatis calibrated for a given second maximum flow rate of the second type ofgas, the second maximum flow rate being lower than the first maximumflow rate.
 2. The valve of claim 1 wherein the first restriction is aremovable press-in or threaded disk having a hole.
 3. The valve of claim1 wherein a first angular position of the regulating organ determines afirst minimum flow rate of the first type of gas, and a second angularposition of the regulating organ, successive to the first angularposition, determines a second minimum flow rate of the second type ofgas, a control knob used to manipulate the angular position of theregulating organ coupled to the regulating organ by an actuating shaft,the control knob optionally having a feature co-operable with a part ofthe appliance to impede rotation of the regulating organ beyond thefirst angular position, absent the presence of the feature on thecontrol knob the regulating organ is rotatable to the second angularposition.
 4. The valve of claim 1 wherein a first angular position ofthe regulating organ determines a first minimum flow rate of the firsttype of gas, and a second angular position of the regulating organ,successive to the first angular position, determines a second minimumflow rate of the second type of gas, a control knob used to manipulatethe angular position of the regulating organ coupled to the regulatingorgan by an actuating shaft, the control knob having a featureco-operable with a part of the appliance to impede rotation of theregulating organ beyond the first angular position, absent the presenceof the feature on the control knob the regulating organ is rotatable tothe second angular position.
 5. A valve capable of regulating the flowrate of a gaseous fuel of either a first type of gas or a second type ofgas to a burner in an appliance comprising: a valve body having arotatable regulating organ positioned between a valve inlet and a valveoutlet, the regulating organ configured to vary the flow rate of thegaseous fuel at the valve outlet as a function of an angular position ofthe regulating organ, the valve outlet having a first restrictioncalibrated for a given first maximum flow rate of the first type of gas,a second restriction removably attached to the valve outlet downstreamof the first restriction, the second restriction calibrated for a givensecond maximum flow rate of the second type of gas, the second maximumflow rate being lower than the first maximum flow rate.
 6. The valve ofclaim 5 wherein the first restriction is a removable press-in orthreaded disk having a hole.
 7. The valve of claim 5 wherein the secondrestriction is a hole located within a nozzle.
 8. The valve of claim 7wherein the nozzle is threaded onto the valve outlet.
 9. The valve ofclaim 5 wherein a first angular position of the regulating organdetermines a first minimum flow rate of the first type of gas, and asecond angular position of the regulating organ, successive to the firstangular position, determines a second minimum flow rate of the secondtype of gas, a control knob used to manipulate the angular position ofthe regulating organ coupled to the regulating organ by an actuatingshaft, the control knob optionally having a feature co-operable with apart of the appliance to impede rotation of the regulating organ beyondthe first angular position, absent the presence of the feature on thecontrol knob the regulating organ is rotatable to the second angularposition.
 10. A gas cooking appliance adapted for a supply of either afirst type of gas or a second type of gas to a burner comprising: atleast one regulating valve with a valve body, the valve body having arotatable regulating organ operationally coupled to an actuating shaftthat protrudes from a control panel of the cooking appliance, theregulating organ positioned between a valve inlet and a valve outlet andconfigured to vary the flow rate of the gaseous fuel at the valve outletas a function of an angular position of the regulating organ, a firstangular position of the regulating organ determining a first minimumflow rate of the first type of gas, and a second angular position of theregulating organ, successive to the first angular position, determininga second minimum flow rate of the second type of gas, a control knobattached to the actuating shaft useable to manipulate the angularposition of the regulating organ, the control knob having a feature thatcooperates with a part of the appliance to impede rotation of theregulating organ beyond the first angular position, the regulating organrotatable to the second angular position successive to the first angularposition absent the presence of the feature on the control knob, thevalve outlet having a first restriction calibrated for a given firstmaximum flow rate of the first type of gas, the valve outlet configuredto receive a second restriction successive to the first restriction thatis calibrated for a given second maximum flow rate of the second type ofgas, the second maximum flow rate being lower than the first maximumflow rate.
 11. The appliance of claim 10 wherein the first restrictionis a removable press-in or threaded disk having a hole.
 12. Theappliance of claim 10 wherein the burner has a feed conduit facing thevalve outlet, there existing an air gap between the valve outlet and thefeed conduit.
 13. The appliance of claim 10 wherein the feature of thecontrol knob projects from a base of the control knob facing the controlpanel and travels within a groove in the control panel, the groovehaving an extension, an end of the extension corresponding to the firstangular position.
 14. The appliance of claim 10 wherein the actuatingshaft has associated with it an engagement feature that cooperates witha part of the valve to impede rotation of the regulating organ beyondthe second angular position.
 15. The appliance of claim 10 wherein thefirst type of gas is natural gas and the second type of gas is liquefiedgas.
 16. A method for determining the gas compatibility of a gasappliance having a valve capable of regulating the flow rate of agaseous fuel of either a first type of gas or a second type of gas to aburner in the appliance, the valve having a valve body with a rotatableregulating organ positioned between a valve inlet and a valve outlet,the regulating organ operationally coupled to an actuating shaft andconfigured to vary the flow rate of the gaseous fuel at the valve outletas a function of an angular position of the regulating organ, a firstangular position of the regulating organ determining a first minimumflow rate of the first type of gas, and a second angular position of theregulating organ successive to the first angular position determining asecond minimum flow rate of the second type of gas, the methodcomprising: selecting between a first control knob and second controlknob for attachment to the actuating shaft, the first and second controlknobs useable to manipulate the angular position of the regulatingorgan, the first control knob having a feature engagable with a part ofthe appliance that impedes rotation of the regulating organ beyond thefirst angular position to establish a gas compatibility with the firstgas, the second control knob not having a feature to engage with a partof the appliance to permit rotation of the regulating organ to thesecond angular position to establish gas compatibility with the secondgas, attaching the selected first or second control knob to theactuating shaft, attaching a restriction that is calibrated for a givenmaximum flow rate of the second type of gas to the valve outlet when thesecond control knob is selected.
 17. The method of claim 16 wherein theuser of the gas appliance selects between the first control knob and thesecond control knob and attaches the selected knob to the actuatingshaft.
 18. The method of claim 16 wherein the user of the gas applianceattaches the restriction to the valve outlet.
 19. The method of claim 16wherein the user of the gas appliance attaches the selected control knobto the actuating shaft and attaches the restriction to the valve outlet.20. The method of claim 16 wherein the first type of gas is natural gasand the second type of gas is liquefied gas.